Nutrient Degradability and Performance by the West African Dwarf Goats Fed Rumen Epithelium-based Diets

Nutritive value of Rumen Epithelial Scraping (REP) was assessed using in sacco and in vivo procedures. Concentrates were so formulated that ۰% (A), ۳۵% (B), ۷۰% (C), and ۱۰۰% (D) of Soybean Meal (SBM), were replaced (weight for weight) with REP. In a completely randomized design, ۱۶ West African Dwarf (WAD) goats were randomly allocated to the experimental diets to assess feed intake and digestibility. In a second trial, the concentrates, SBM and the REP were degraded in the rumen of fistulated goats to determine Dry Matter (DM) and Crude Protein (CP) degradability. No significant difference (P< ۰.۰۵) was observed in DM and CP consumption of goats on the various dietary treatments. The variation observed for digestible DM and CP among diets were significant (P< ۰.۰۵). The highest value of digestibility coefficients of DM and CP were observed in diet B (۷۷.۷۲% and ۷۹.۲% respectively). There were significant differences observed (P< ۰.۰۵) in the DM and CP degradation characteristics of the different samples incubated in the rumen of goats. Rumen epithelial waste contained more soluble fractions (۳۰.۱۳% DM and ۷۱.۰۴% CP) than soybean meal (۲۹.۸۲% DM and ۱۸.۶% CP), and it was shown that increasing REP in the concentrate increases the soluble DM and CP (P< ۰.۰۵). The results indicated that REP is nutritive and can replace SBM at reasonable levels in goat production enterprise.

Keywords:

Rumen epithelium , degradability , dietary protein , WAD goats